


Minecraftstuck - Insert Fancy Title Or Song Name Here

by Aporias



Category: Homestuck, Minecraft (Video Game)
Genre: F/F, F/M, M/M, Multi
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-04-07
Updated: 2020-05-05
Packaged: 2021-03-02 03:54:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,409
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23528743
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Aporias/pseuds/Aporias
Summary: From Dirk’s POV, second person as always.When you wake up, you don’t question anything. The world is easy to navigate, although sometimes you wish Jake would bring a bed with him on his adventures.As things continue on, you can’t help but feel something isn’t quite right.[ Disclaimer: I know jack shit about coding. ]
Relationships: Jake English/Dirk Strider
Comments: 8
Kudos: 11





	1. Chapter 1

Your legs dangled carelessly over what should be a sharp edge of a grass block, a square sun poking out over the tops of trees. Your fingers fiddled carefully with the text box you were holding, notifications going off somewhere to the right of your vision. You shake your head to clear it, and stare down at the command. You can’t believe you hadn’t thought of this earlier.

AR’s text box pops up right in front of you, visible and completely in the fucking way.

[ Really bro? ] it reads, and you swipe it to the side as another takes its place. [ I hate to be the one to have to talk you out of this, Dirk, since we both know it probably won’t work. ]

“I don’t see what you’re hung up about.” You snap, out loud, and AR manifests himself in front of you. The world lags a bit, and you feel it. You feel everything these days.

[ Of course you don’t. You’re happy to write my sentience off as a glitch in the system. A wrench in your carefully laid out plans. Sorry to spill the lava bucket, bro, but you shouldn’t do this. ]

He’s speaking, his mouth moving, but no sound escapes him. The text box floats in front of your eyes until you wave it away.

“I don’t expect you to actually understand.” You say, still fiddling with your line of code.

[ You don’t expect me to understand a lot. But I’m still you. A you who is literally hooked up to the universe. I understand more than most people would. ]

”You can call it a game,” you say. “No use in hiding that shit from me anymore.”

[ I never was. It’s infinite, Dirk. That’s a universe. ]

And it is. You know this. You can extend your awareness and it keeps going in one way or another, but if you extend too far you can feel the sinking cold of the void that lurks below the deepest layer of bedrock. You pull back again, before you get lost in it (in the silence, you can hear chirps and calls that aren’t part of the game).

AR settles himself next to you, blocky limbs bending in a way that should look unnatural. He can feel you pulling your awareness back, and so he waits until you’re done to speak again.

[ It could be like this. ] He says. [ You don’t have to do this, Dirk. ]

“What’s the point?” You say. Your fingers are moving quickly, now motioning to a pair of numbers only you two can see. “I just wasted a good gigabyte of space by loading all of those blocks. What happens when it hits the limit?”

AR is silent as you flick your hand at the data, dismissing it. The sun is lowering itself over the trees and you entertain the thought of moving it backwards as the two of you sit.

You know what he’s talking about, and where his focus is. Equius is asking him a question about the horses; could he maybe create an apple pie recipe for them? Roxy is pressing AR for information on your coordinates again, AR deflecting the questions. Jake is venting about his current state; stuck in an underwater cave with no more potions. Another message notification flickers into view and you pinch it, tossing it to the side. As night comes, you can feel the tiny pings of awareness as mobs spawn across the map; small and inconsequential. You summon a few near the village. That should keep them entertained for a bit. AR opens his mouth to speak and you turn to him.

”I know what I’m doing,” You say. “It’s irreversible and we’d cease existing. This world, these people. It would be over.”

You take a pause to consider him, as well, his eyebrows furrowed. He’d always been more expressive than you were.

”There’s nothing more to life than this, is there. Just this, forever. Trapped in a video game, and we aren’t even on Hardcore Mode,” You say. “Death is just Death. And I don’t know why I have some inane idea about how it should be more than that. I don’t know how I’m supposed to live with this information. Can I feel alright with this, keeping my friends in the dark and letting them live on, seemingly forever in a pointless fucking world? Can I keep their attention enough, with challenge after challenge. Raids aren’t as effective against 17 experienced people with various enchanted weapons.”

[ Why not turn Hardcore Mode on? ] AR asks, although he already knows the answer. He’s just humoring you, like always, and for once you appreciate it. You haven’t talked to anyone but him in a long time. 

“It’s just a reset,” You scroll through the data again, the sinking realization that had hit you the first time you saw it leaving you empty now. “I must have done this a hundred times. Hardcore Mode. Actual stakes. Actual death. Permanence. A genuine threat, a *reason* to keep on living. I guess at some point I flipped the switch for pain too.”

Your fingers brush the orange lines of code, the ones that simulated the sharp sting of a spider’s bite or a zombie’s burning touch. 

“I’m not looking for a reset anymore, AR. It doesn’t work.” You’re leaning back now, resting on your hands and looking up at the sky. Phantoms circled the moon above, oblivious to the players in creative mode below them. “I’m making the final call.”

AR is quiet still, as though he too remembers, and you guess he does. He must have come across it all, the modes, the orange lines of text scattered throughout the game’s code. He must have come to this conclusion a long time ago. You wonder if he ever would have told you about it.

[ Dirk, ] He says, quietly. His text box is smaller, more fragile. You don’t brush this one out of the way. [ Please, don’t. ]

You wait, your question hanging in the air. He knows what you’re going to say.

[ I’m scared. ] He says. You’re surprised, your eyes widening behind your shades, and he turns to look at you. [ I’m scared to not exist. ]

Your hands reach out to him, as if to pat him on the shoulder, when you remember he isn’t actually here. He slumps forwards.

[ Aren’t you? ]


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dirk here. Who says I can't have complete narrative control over this as well?
> 
> In any case, this isn't actually that painful of a story for anyone but myself. Would it be worth telling if it were a happy ending, though?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Shall we start this shit at the beginning?

**tipsyGnostalgic:** oh fukc

When the message flits across your screen, you're busy backing up and slapping at a zombie with an open palm. It startles you long enough for the zombie's arms to swing down and hit against your blocking forearm, and you hiss as you lose a heart and a half of health. Abandoning the zombie, your mind spins as you turn and hike your ass back to your home; a raised platform in the water. You climb the ladder, shut the door behind you, and tentatively bring up the general chat.

Messages flood your vision, other people in a frenzied panic like you are. You make out words like “hello?” and “Goodness!” before your head starts to swim again. You sink to the floor and take a deep breath before thinking up a reply. You delete and rethink about 10 times before finally hitting ‘enter’.

 **golgothasTerror:** Yes its quite alright! I was just busting my rump hustling up to the top of this mountain for some proper salutations!  
**timaeusTestified:** Everyone shut the fuck up.

The chat falls silent for a moment as you think up your next response.

 **timaeusTestified:** Thank you. This shit was taking up my vision.  
**timaeusTestified:** If we’re going to get this rad acquaintanceship thing going, let’s do it right.  
**timaeusTestified:** How many of us are there?  
**gutsyGumshoe:** I’ve counted four, now, unless there’s some fifth or six friend who was holding out on us as well! :B  
**tipsyGnostalgic:** guyd im like freaking out rihgt now omg  
**tipsyGnostalgic:** guys*  
**tipsyGnostalgic:** right*  
**tipsyGnostalgic:** i never knew that there were ohter peeps around? im kind of really fcking excited?  
**golgothasTerror:** Me neither!  
**timaeusTestified:** We’re getting off track, again. I think we’re all properly stunned. In fact, let me do you all the honors: holy shit we were all presumably alone for an unknown period of time, toiling in isolation.  
**gutsyGumshoe:** Actually, I live in a village!  
**tipsyGnostalgic:** oooooo whassat  
**golgothasTerror:** I havent seen one of those in ages!

You let out a frustrated sigh as text fills your screen again, and close out of it for the moment. You wince as you examine the scrapes on your arm from the zombie, and rifle through your inventory until you come upon a cooked cod. You eat it quickly, the scrapes closing as your health bar fills back up, and reopen the chat.

 **gutsyGumshoe:** I certainly wouldn’t mind! They sure do have a lot to say, but are you sure you can learn? It’s not an easy thing to do.  
**golgothasTerror:** What is learning except a new adventure? Itd be right helpful to me if i were able to talk to the chaps next time i happen upon them. I dont think they quite appreciated my enthusiastic arm waving.  
**tipsyGnostalgic:** idks if i can learn but like dont leave me outta this biz it sounds downright fuckin awesome.

You watch them chat for a while, vaguely enjoying the mindless talks that they have about everything and anything. What kinds of trees do they have? What do villagers look like? Does golgothasTerror actually adventure all the time? gutsyGumshoe has cake? When it becomes too much, you close the chat and drag yourself into the bed. New notifications pop up, something you’re not used to, and even as you close your eyes your mind is lightly pinged with awareness when someone messages. You figure they won’t go to bed soon, but you lay in place rather than prepare for the next day. You’ve almost drifted off when you feel a different kind of ping; this one feels louder, more urgent. When you open your eyes, you see a few notifications to the side; a “whisper”? The usernames of each of your new acquaintances float into view, supposedly messaging you privately. You take a breath and choose one at random to open.

 **golgothasTerror:** Hello there little chum! I dont mean to bother you, but im a bit worried weve gone and scared you away.  
**golgothasTerror:** Ive done a bangup job of introducing myself to you in a positive manner so before i muck it all up again im jumping the gun and asking if you wouldnt mind being a pal to a fellow like me!  
**timaeusTestified:** What’s in it for me?  
**timaeusTestified:** The pal thing, I mean.  
**timaeusTestified:** Not that I don’t want to.  
**golgothasTerror:** Golly i didnt actually expect a reply! Well, good sir, ill have you know youre bumping noggins with a top notch adventurer right here!

You almost have to close the chat right there.

 **timaeusTestified:** What’s your kill count? How many times have you died? What’re your coordinates; how far are you from your spawn point?  
**golgothasTerror:** Erm. Well.  
**golgothasTerror:** I adventure a lot! But that comes with quite a lot of monsters, if I do say so myself. Cripes on a stick, here’s one now, one moment-.

You close the chat box and wait, tapping your fingers against your knee. You sit up when [ golgothasTerror was slain by a Zombie ] fades into view. You calm your panic after allowing yourself a few seconds of heart pounding (you’d died before, swimming farther down into the ocean than you should have) when another message pops up.

 **golgothasTerror:** Devilfucking dickens those things are fast. Little green buggers had been chasing me for a while now. As to the mysterious answers to your questions, uh...  
**timaeusTestified:** Strider.  
**golgothasTerror:** Mx strider! I may be an experienced adventurer but maybe im lacking just a bit on the combat side.  
**golgothasTerror:** Good golly weve only just met and youre already asking me about my insecurities.  
**timaeusTestified:** Right. Sorry. Next time I’ll mine you some diamonds before I ask about your surely short list of deaths.  
**golgothasTerror:** Thats funny! Has anyone ever told you that youre funny strider?  
**timaeusTestified:** Given that this is the first contact I have ever really had with a person, no.  
**golgothasTerror:** Well ill be sure to tell the girls to give messaging you a real earnest go! Youre not a bad guy! Well. Are you a guy?

The mention of genders has your ears flushing for a reason you can’t quite discern. It’s not something you’ve ever thought too hard on; yes, you’re a guy (more importantly, a bro). 

**timaeusTestified:** Now who’s asking for personal information. You owe me a diamond.  
**golgothasTerror:** Well?  
**timaeusTestified:** Yes. I’m a guy.  
**golgothasTerror:** Thank jimminies, i was starting to lose hope! Not that girls arent cool and all but theres something a bit nicer about knowing another male, you know? An old chappie who can understand certain things!  
**timaeusTestified:** Right. Like a bro.  
**golgothasTerror:** Like a bro!  
**golgothasTerror:** Well, when we meet, ill owe you a diamond and youll owe me a diamond. So get mining strider!  
**timaeusTestified:** You’ll be fucking drowning in them, bro.

You close the window, swiping away the notification of gT replying. You wipe at your forehead; were you sweating? gT rejoins the main chat, lines of text popping up until you shake your head to clear it away. You flop back against your bed, the simple sheets and wool blanket rubbing against your bare arms. Your head is spinning again, and as the notifications pile up you almost wish for solitude.

You're drifting in and out of consciousness when two more private notifications wake you up. Rubbing your eyes, you cast a glance out the window. The sun is rising over the horizon (ocean, it's always ocean) and you scroll through the general chat quickly to rid yourself of that need. You'll have to figure out if there's a way to mute it later. Taking a deep breath, you glance at the whispers hovering to your right.

[ **gutsyGumshoe** has whispered to you. ]  
[ **tipsyGnostalgic** has whispered to you. ]

Once again, you select at random.


	3. Chapter 3

You tap the fingers of your right hand impatiently against your thigh as you read through the messages that gG had sent to you. Her first was formal, including her name and asking you for yours. She certainly seemed businesslike when talking to you, although she managed to keep a friendly air about her. You wait a moment before coming up with your reply.

 **gutsyGumshoe:** Hello, Mx. Testified! My name is Jane, and I’m pleased as ever to make your acquaintance. Why, I may even say that I’m downright thrilled about it!  
 **gutsyGumshoe:** The sun’s arising so you have no need to answer me quickly, what with things to do and a whole day ahead of you!  
 **gutsyGumshoe:** But you vanished from the chat so darn quickly we began to worry about you! :B I’m probably annoying you by sending so many messages, but I do think it’s fair of you to at least tell me your name before you go back to ignoring all of us again!  
 **gutsyGumshoe:** According to my sources you’re a Mr. Testified! Can you confirm or deny this?  
 **timaeusTestified:** I can indeed confirm that. It’s nice to meet you Jane. I’m sorry about my brusqueness last night. I was startled.  
 **timaeusTestified:** My name is Dirk. You can call me that or TT. I don’t care which.  
 **gutsyGumshoe:** Well, Dirk, I hope you don’t mind if I ask you a few questions. It might take a while, though.  
 **gutsyGumshoe:** I’m a busy woman, what with a village to manage and everything!  
 **timaeusTestified:** That’s fine. I’ll answer the best I can, although I do want to ask you some questions of my own.  
 **timaeusTestified:** You mentioned a village last night as well. You’re managing the village?  
 **gutsyGumshoe:** Why yes I am. I'm saddling on up to be the best darned mayor there ever was.  
 **gutsyGumshoe:** Although I'm not quite sure about how intelligent the villagers are, they certainly seemed to have taken a liking to me.  
 **gutsyGumshoe:** We're actually holding a vote in the village center today, so I'm quite the busybody! :P  
 **timaeusTestified:** Somehow, the image of you running a village is fucking hilarious to me, despite the fact that I have never actually seen a village.  
 **timaeusTestified:** However, I want to focus on more pressing matters, which are likely not as interesting to you as they are to me.  
 **timaeusTestified:** These villagers, are they sentient? And if so, are they able to chat in a manner similar to us?  
 **gutsyGumshoe:** They have feelings and opinions on certain matters, that's for sure. As for chatting, well gosh, I don't actually know if they can access the same chat as you and I.  
 **gutsyGumshoe:** They don't speak our language, actually. I'm conversing with one right now!  
 **gutsyGumshoe:** Through a series of trial and error, and fantastic detective work, I have uncovered the meaning of most of their grunts and sighs!

You slump back against the cool, gray wall of your home. Jane is filling your field of vision with observations about villagers, and the ins and outs of village life. You scan through it, making comments and corrections here and there. You feel a bit unsettled when she begins to name the villagers and their jobs, and you begin correcting her on their titles, despite how ridiculous that seems. Who gives a shit if one girl halfway across the world calls a villager a priest and not a cleric?

Eventually, you grow tired of responding. You aren't exactly enthused about having an all day conversation with someone about villager politics, and so you bid her goodbye and stand. Socialization already feels like it isn’t your strongest attribute. You may have pushed a few buttons with Jane, but she hadn’t seemed too bothered when you corrected her. You hope.

Your diamond sword sits heavily in your hand when you select it from your inventory, its stamina low. You suppose you have diamonds to find anyways, and make your way outside of your tower to gaze down at the island below. The blocks of leaves sway slightly, and you feel a pang of jealousy hit you in your chest. The island seemed smaller than usual; its few oak and birch trees clustered together towards the western end, the rest just dirt, grass, and sand. It’s only about two times the size of your room, which you knew for a fact to be 10x10 blocks. You turn away from it, finding yourself faced with endless ocean, and grit your teeth.

You don't allow yourself a moment to feel the bitterness that is tugging at your wrists and throat, and instead step over the edge. The fall downwards is relieving, the sensation of weightlessness distracting you before you hit the water. It rushes up your nose, and you welcome the burning sensation as you sink into it, a familiar chill resting against your skin. Out of the corner of your eye, you see the bubbles that indicate how long you can hold your breath slowly popping. As your vision grows darker, you're nowhere near the bottom. When your last bubble pops you slowly rise towards a dim surface.

When your head pushes above the water, you have 4 hearts left, and are in need of some food. You paddle yourself over to the small platform you'd built at the bottom of your home and pull yourself up as you chew on another cooked cod. The water remains where it was, not clinging to your hair or clothes. (You found this odd the first time you'd touched it; the concept of being wet seeming so natural, but that was just you overthinking everything, as you did). You open a chest there and relish in the sound of a few clinking bottles. You note your diminishing supply with a frown as you sort the potions into your inventory and close the chest with a creak.

With a hop, you plunge back into the depths. This time, when the last bubble pops you wriggle out the cork of a bottle. The contents are salty and fishy, the taste not helped by the ocean water pressing in around you. Your oxygen levels refill, and soon your vision brightens as you drink the contents of the next potion.

_7:59. 7:58. 7:57._

[ **tipsyGnostalgic** has whispered to you. ]


End file.
